Peel Advisory Working Group on Older Adults' Housing

Goals and Purpose

The goal of the Peel Advisory Working Group on Older Adults' Housing is to develop and promote ways of meeting current and future housing needs for appropriate affordable rental and ownership housing for older adults in Peel Region.

The purpose of the Peel Advisory Working Group on Older Adults' Housing is to:

assist Regional Council in implementing recommendations contained in the Housing Needs and Options of Older Adults in Peel Region: Final Report, including developing a strategic plan to address the recommendations and a work plan identifying the short and long-term tasks of the Working Group;

Generally, to

provide a forum for the exchange of information on senior's housing needs, options and initiatives and to advise on potential concerns;

review and provide comments and recommendations on projects an studies that may be referred by Regional Council/staff;

provide comments and recommendations and alternative solutions and approaches dealing with seniors' housing needs and options, funding partnerships and legislation;

And specifically to

promote the development of pilot projects illustrating different options for older adults' housing using a partnership approach, with the first such pilot focussing on affordable rental housing;

develop strategies to identify and overcome the barriers to the development of appropriate affordable older adults' housing in Peel Region;

work with the private sector, unions, charities and the faith communities to identify potential non-government funding sources for the development of older adults' housing;

work with local planning departments, developers and agencies serving older adults and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing to establish design guidelines for older adults' housing covering such topics as house form, site layout, location criteria and how to make dwellings and developments that are accessible to individuals as they age (these guidelines should emphasize the importance of incorporating the principle of general accessibility as much as possible);

work with the private sector and other interested parties to host a series of workshops on alternative designs for older adult housing including bungalows, single floor row houses and cluster housing;

meet with representatives of older adults from different ethnic and cultural groups to discuss ways that the housing needs of older adults from these groups could be better addressed; and

sponsor educational workshops for older adults on matters of interest such as reverse mortgages and accessory apartments in partnership with appropriate organizations.